Sports of The Times; Memos That Sting Giants, Rile Coslet

By DAVE ANDERSON

Published: December 19, 1993

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.—
IN dominating the Jets, 28-7, the Dallas Cowboys virtually pinned a memo to the door of the Giants' locker room: "See you Jan. 2. Same time. Same place."

Despite their losses to the Dolphins and the Falcons in recent weeks, the Cowboys yesterday showed why they're the reigning Super Bowl champions, why they routed the Giants, 31-9, six weeks ago, why the National Conference East title is still up for grabs, and why the Jets need help if they are to salvage a wild-card berth.

"I was a little perturbed," the Jets' coach said later. "He would double-safety blitz us with the score 28-7 and try to knock Boomer out of the game. I didn't mind him blitzing Browning Nagle when we were down there trying to score."

Boomer Esiason had been knocked out with bruised ribs when sacked by linebacker Ken Norton with less than six minutes to play. In the tunnel near the locker rooms, the two coaches could be seen and heard arguing.

"Someone needs to pass me a note or give me the rule when we are supposed to blitz or when we can't blitz," Johnson later said, sarcastically. "I haven't read the manual yet as far as what defense we're supposed to play at the end of a game."

Memos aside, the Jets lost because the Cowboys possess too many of the National Football League's best players.

Not merely Troy Aikman, the laser-beam passer. Not merely Emmitt Smith, the pinball running back. Not merely Michael Irvin, the best of their aerial-artist pass receivers. But also Russell Maryland, the defensive tackle who torpedoed Brad Baxter in a fourth-and-1 at the Cowboy 9-yard line in the first quarter.

"The idea," Maryland said, "was for me to get low past Dave Cadigan, and I guess I did."

When Maryland flipped Baxter for no gain, the 6-foot-1-inch, 279-pound defensive tackle delivered a reminder: The Jets offense hadn't scored a touchdown now for nearly 15 quarters. And it would not score a touchdown until after the Cowboys had galloped to a 21-0 lead.

By then the Giants, many of whom were surely watching television, knew that the Cowboys were ready for the last roundup: the Jan. 2 showdown for the N.F.C. East title at Giants Stadium.

At his best, Aikman is now pro football's best at a position that demands leadership, intelligence, arm, toughness and more than anything else, the ability to "take you there." Meaning take his team to the Super Bowl.

With the N.F.L. expanding to 30 teams in 1995, cynics complain that there won't be enough quarterbacks to go around. But there aren't enough now. Only nine proven QB's exist. Only nine with the ability to "take you there."

Three who won the Super Bowl, but now have asterisks attached: Mark Rypien (Redskins, who hasn't done much since then), Jeff Hostetler (Raiders, who was Simms's backup on the Giants three seasons ago), Jim McMahon (Vikings, now battered and bruised since winning with the Bears eight seasons ago).

One whose talent is still clouded by injuries: Randall Cunningham (Eagles).

Two too young to rate: Craig Erickson (Bucs), David Klingler (Bengals).

Then there's the exception to the rule, the three-headed quarterback (Rodney Peete, Andre Ware, Eric Kramer) who somehow has taken the Lions to a share of first place with the Packers in the N.F.C. Central.